Showing posts with label Benjamin Sprague. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Benjamin Sprague. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Odds and Sods - Obamomentum edition

He's hot! He's on FIRE! He won the Potomac primaries!

Some good reading over on Politico.com:

Obama’s wins were his sixth, seventh, and eighth in a row, and even as Clinton looks forward to March 4, his campaign is looking with relish on Wisconsin and his home state of Hawaii, which vote a week from today.

His widening coalition is becoming part of his message: He won a majority of Latino votes – which had been Clinton’s bulwark elsewhere – in Virginia and Maryland.

He won a majority of white men in both states, and won the support of groups across the economic spectrum, while drawing stunning majorities of support from African-American voters – as high as 90% of their support in Virginia, according to exit polls.

The wide margins – he won with 64% of the vote in Virginia, and appeared headed for victory on a similar scale in Maryland– seemed to answer the Clinton campaign’s arguments that he has not won primaries in large states.
IT'S SO EXCITING!!!!

Hillary is pinning virtually all of her hopes on Texas and Ohio. Is that smart? At this point, she really has no other choice:
Clinton argues that she is the stronger candidate because she can win big-state primaries such as in California or New York, states that are critical to the party in November.

By insinuation she seems to suggest Obama might lose those heavily Democratic states in a general election, a point her own party leaders and strategists would likely dispute.

She is encouraging voters in Texas and Ohio to dismiss Obama’s victories as irrelevant.

But those wins actually could add substance to his claim that he has the best chance to expand the electoral map and break out of the red-state, blue-state formula that has bedeviled his party for two presidential cycles.

The goal of Clinton’s new rhetorical assault is to freeze Obama’s momentum before March 4.
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I reported here about the death of 18-year-old Benjamin Sprague at Clemson's Sigma Nu frat house, back in December. This has turned into something of a local scandal/bad joke after it was discovered that Sprague died with a beefsteak underneath him. Seriously, it isn't simply a bizarre rumor--see follow-up news story in the link.

The official cause of death was alcohol poisoning. Misdemeanor charges have been filed against Sigma Nu members Matthew Rinkel, 20, Addison Kerr, 21, and Jetin Anil Patel, 19, charged with transfer of alcohol to a person under 21.

Related video here, including a portion of the 911 call.

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My new favorite blogs to read include Persephone's Box, A Different Light, The Curvature, and the always-brilliant Problem Chylde.

Random questions: Why aren't I as smart as these women? Is this some genetic thing, or was it all those hallucinogens?

~*~

Left: Woody and Scarlett, from New York Magazine.


In movie-making news, Woody Allen is preparing to direct Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz in a lesbian sex scene in his new film, titled Vicky Cristina Barcelona. There will also be a threesome with the two women and co-star Javier Bardem. And gollee gee, for some reason, Mr Daisy hasn't been so interested in a Woody Allen movie since Match Point, also featuring the winsome Johansson.

Speaking personally, I miss Woody's old movies. Particularly the early, funny ones. (Bonus points to the movie geek/Woody fan who can name that movie line without clicking the link!)

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Listening to: Echo & the Bunnymen - The Cutter
via FoxyTunes

Monday, December 10, 2007

Senator's grandson found dead at Clemson fraternity



The local gossip this morning is all about Senator Garrison's grandson, Benjamin Garrison Sprague, found dead on a futon at Clemson fraternity Sigma Nu.

Clemson freshman's body found at fraternity

Autopsy today on Greenville High grad, grandson of longtime lawmaker

Monday, December 10, 2007
By Paul Alongi
STAFF WRITER, Greenville News
An autopsy is expected to be performed today on the body of a Clemson University freshman who was found Sunday morning at an off-campus fraternity house.

The body of Benjamin Garrison Sprague was found lying on a futon at Sigma Nu near Seneca at 7:40 a.m. Sunday, according to Oconee County Coroner Karl Addis.

Srague was a Greenville High graduate and the grandson of longtime state legislator T. Ed Garrison.

Addis said Sprague, a Sigma Nu member, attended a party at the fraternity house Saturday.

Sprague, 18, was the grandson of Garrison, a Democratic state representative and senator from 1959 to 1987.

He was a general engineering major who graduated from Greenville High earlier this year and played center for the Red Raiders' football team, said family friend Jeff Dezen.

"Ben is one of the most brilliant, loving, kind young men I have ever known," Dezen said, "and I have known him since he was a little boy."
Fox News Carolina reported last night that there were no signs of a struggle. They also initially reported that Sprague had just pledged the frat within the past week, although that fact seems to have been dropped down the memory hole in both news account I read today. Alcohol poisoning?

Sprague comes from a prominent family, and this story has that telltale Pat Conroy vibe. What really happened? Will we ever know?
Clemson placed Sigma Nu on interim suspension, pending an investigation by its Office of Community and Ethical Standards, Denny said. Sigma Nu's executive director in Lexington, Va., couldn't be reached for comment.

The Oconee Sheriff's Office is also investigating Sprague's death and has asked for help from the State Law Enforcement Division, said SLED Inspector Richard Hunton. Sheriff James E. Singleton couldn't be reached for comment.

Sprague is the son of Joel and Gaye Sprague of Greenville and has an older brother, Jay, who attends Clemson, Dezen said. Relatives wanted to grieve in private Sunday, he said.

Garrison, the namesake of Clemson's livestock arena, owned Denver Downs Farm for years. His son Bart Garrison, also a Clemson graduate, died in a silo accident on the family's farm in May 1990.

Sprague was an outstanding athlete and scholar, Dezen said. He played on the Red Raiders' soccer team. Greenville County Schools honored him for being one of 12 students who never missed a day of high school.

"In his intelligence, his spirit and his joy for life, Ben Sprague was a giant," Dezen said.
My condolences to Benjamin's family; losing a child at Christmastime is particularly horrific.

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Listening to: Minutemen - Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing
via FoxyTunes